My Review (5 stars out of 5) Someone is on the hunt for new items to add to a grotesque museum – items that have something in common. A child with an unusual medical condition is in the killer’s sights, just waiting for the parents to make a mistake and leave their offspring at risk.…
Category: Writing
‘Troubled Times for Tilly’ by Kay Seeley
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is book 2 in the Water Gypsy series, though you don’t have to have read the first one to understand what’s already happened. Tilly and Sam strive to make a safe home for themselves and their children, though Tilly’s older son—Joey—is the offspring of a wealthy father,…
‘Summer Paths’ An Anthology
Welcome to my spot on the blog tour for Summer Paths, via Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources The Blurb This, the fourth and final selection of stories, completes the Seasonal Paths series created by a consortium of best-selling and award-winning North Atlantic writers. In this anthology you will encounter unintentional consequences, love in later life,…
‘Men of Iron’ by MJ Porter
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the first book in a new series titled The Dark Age Chronicles. With little historical documentation to fall back on, the story is instead inspired by archaeological evidence, though the author’s knowledge of the period (real or imagined) does shine through. The plot revolves around several…
‘The Woven Lie’ by Liz Harris
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the first book I’ve read by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I lived in Suffolk for several years, so it was interesting to come across places I’m familiar with, such as The Angel, in Bury St Edmunds, where Charles Dickens stayed while…
Giving up the Ghost – the Agony of an Unfinished Novel
Like many writers, I’m a big fan of Stephen King, and have taken on board most of his advice about storytelling, character development and the routine of writing. However, his suggestion that ‘Stopping a piece of writing just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea,’ doesn’t always work for me. Having…
‘Afua’ by Karl Drinkwater and Christoffer Petersen
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the second book I’ve read by Karl Drinkwater, though I’m not familiar with Christoffer Petersen’s work. Set in the Lost Solace universe, this is a sci-fi story featuring a strongminded heroine in the form of Afua. A fairly short read, the world of Lost Solace is…
Best Reads of 2024
A little while ago, I shared some of my all-time favourite murder mysteries on Shepherd, while at the same time promoting one of my own books. The service is free for authors, so it’s worth giving it a go. You can see my page here: The best murder mysteries featuring unusual amateur sleuths. This time…
‘The Cursed Writer’ by Holly Hepburn
My Review (5 stars out of 5) In her basement office within the Baker Street Building Society, Harriet (Harry) White has been given the job of responding to mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes. A telegram asking for the great detective’s help prompts Harry to investigate. A nephew of the author Philip St John is convinced…
‘A Divided Life’ by Bryan Forbes
My Review (5 stars out of 5) Writer, director, and actor Bryan Forbes has contributed much to British film-making, and in this informative autobiography he recounts insights into the industry, including his time as head of production for EMI at Elstree. I’ve long been a fan of Bryan Forbes as an actor and director, though…
Colin Garrow 